al

Coronavirus outbreak: Union leaders offer resources for frontline workers, push for federal guidance

Washington — Representatives from two labor unions are bringing attention to resources intended to protect workers in “frontline industries” from exposure to the new coronavirus and are calling on the federal government to provide coordinated guidance.




al

Coronavirus pandemic: Nurses union calls on OSHA to issue emergency standard

Silver Spring, MD — In response to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the nation’s largest union and professional association of direct care registered nurses is petitioning OSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard to protect frontline workers, patients and the public from the potentially deadly respiratory illness.




al

AFL-CIO calls for emergency standards, additional worker protections before reopening the economy

Washington — The AFL-CIO has outlined steps it says all levels of government should take to protect workers from exposure to COVID-19 before reopening the economy.




al

Annual ‘Death on the Job’ report looks at the effects of COVID-19

Washington — The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on workplace safety is among the issues explored in the AFL-CIO’s annual report on the state of safety and health protections for U.S. workers.




al

Health care worker unions sue Scalia, OSHA for shelving infectious diseases standard

San Francisco — The Washington State Nurses Association is among four labor unions suing Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia and OSHA in an effort to compel the agency to move forward with rulemaking on an infectious diseases standard that would require employers in the health care industry to protect workers from exposure to harmful infectious diseases such as COVID-19, Ebola and influenza.




al

Global nurses group pushes WHO for stronger stance on COVID-19 protections

Silver Spring, MD — Global Nurses United is demanding stronger COVID-19 guidance from the World Health Organization, including a call for more personal protective equipment for health care workers and acknowledgement from WHO on how the virus is spread.




al

More hospital safety cuts could exacerbate COVID-19 pandemic, nurses union warns

Silver Spring, MD — Pushing back on calls to roll back certain workplace safety rules, National Nurses United contends hospital industry cost-cutting has put health care worker safety at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the “current staffing and capacity crises.”




al

Nurses union calls on CDC to reinstate universal masking guidance

Silver Spring, MD — The nation’s largest union and professional association of direct care registered nurses is urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to update agency guidance and reinstate the “recommendation to everyone to wear masks in public or in physical proximity to others outside their own household.”




al

Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO president and ‘unequaled voice’ for workers, dies at 72

Washington — Longtime AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka died from a reported heart attack Aug. 5. He was 72.




al

Coalition sues OSHA in effort to force permanent standard on COVID-19 for health care workers

Washington — The AFL-CIO and National Nurses United are part of a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Labor and OSHA, petitioning a federal court to direct the agency to issue a permanent standard on COVID-19 focused on health care workers.




al

Annual ‘Death on the Job’ report part of Workers’ Memorial Week

Washington — “The nation must renew its commitment to protecting workers from job injury, disease and death, and make this a high priority,” the AFL-CIO says in its annual report on the state of safety and health protections for U.S. workers.




al

Deadly fungal infection in Michigan paper mill prompts call for industry action

Pittsburgh — The United Steelworkers is calling on the paper industry to protect its workers against fungal infections – one of which has proved deadly.




al

Workers Memorial Day: OSHA to host ceremony; AFL-CIO releases report

Washington — OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration have scheduled a national Workers Memorial Day ceremony for April 27 at the Department of Labor headquarters.




al

Teamsters call for strong federal oversight of driverless trucks

Washington — Federal regulation of autonomous trucks must “prioritize both workers and safety,” the International Brotherhood of Teamsters says.




al

Chemical storage

What are some common chemical storage compatibilities?




al

GHS chemical labeling requirements

The chemicals I ordered over a year ago that are still on the shelf … do I need to re-label them?




al

EPA evaluations for TSCA chemicals

How is the Environmental Protection Agency prioritizing chemicals for risk evaluation under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act?




al

Chemical exposures and PELs

Is our company at risk of litigation (i.e., employee health concerns) regarding chemical exposure in the workplace, provided we are following OSHA’s permissible exposure limits?




al

Chemical exposure pathways

How can hazardous chemicals enter the human body? What should safety professionals know about each avenue of entry?




al

Coalition issues safety recommendations for temp workers

Boston – A coalition of workplace safety groups has released a set of recommendations for OSHA to help improve safety for temporary workers.




al

OSHA highlights 2 fatal events, offers tips on avoiding future incidents

Washington – Two new resources from OSHA detail worker fatalities involving electrocution and engulfment and explain how similar events can be prevented.




al

New fact sheets from Cal/OSHA detail worker rights, temp worker requirements

Oakland, CA – Two new fact sheets from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal/OSHA, outline worker safety rights and employer requirements for protecting temporary workers.




al

NIOSH teams with staffing association to promote temp worker safety and health

Washington — NIOSH and the American Staffing Association have announced a multiyear partnership agreement to advance protections for temporary workers.




al

NLRB proposal continues tug-of-war over what defines a ‘joint employer’

Washington — The National Labor Relations Board is requesting public comment as it seeks to return to its previous definition of a “joint employer.”




al

Employees or independent contractors? DOL publishes final rule

Washington — The Department of Labor has issued a final rule that targets “employee misclassification” of workers as independent contractors.




al

Federal judge delays effective date of NLRB’s joint employer rule

Tyler, TX — The National Labor Relations Board’s joint employer rule, originally set to go into effect Feb. 26, has been put on hold until at least March 11.




al

Federal judge strikes down NLRB’s joint employer rule

Tyler, TX — A federal judge in Texas has vacated the National Labor Relations Board’s joint employer rule, but NLRB Chair Lauren McFerran says the decision is “not the last word.”




al

House committee approves resolution to repeal DOL rule targeting worker misclassification

Washington — The House Education and the Workforce Committee has advanced a resolution aimed at repealing the Department of Labor’s rule on determining if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor.




al

Coalition asks court to strike down DOL rule on independent contractors

Washington — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit challenging the Department of Labor’s rule on determining if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor.




al

Biden blocks CRA resolution seeking to repeal NLRB’s ‘joint employer’ rule

Washington — President Joe Biden has vetoed a Congressional Review Act resolution intended to repeal the National Labor Relations Board’s “joint employer” rule, which remains in legal limbo.




al

NLRB halts appeal of court decision that struck down revised joint employer rule

Washington — The National Labor Relations Board has withdrawn its appeal of a federal court decision that blocked the board’s joint employer rule.




al

Guard-opening scale

The precision-engraved acrylic copolymer guard-opening scale is a valuable tool to use during the design, installation and inspection of guards to ensure they comply with OSHA, ANSI and CSA safety standards.




al

Anodized aluminum series padlocks

72 Anodized Aluminum Series Padlocks feature lightweight, anodized aluminum bodies perfect for laser engraving.




al

Metal detectable grabber

The Squids 3405 Metal Detectable Grabber with Belt Clip not only helps prevent objects from being dropped, it also signals metal detectors in food processing to prevent it from becoming a harmful foreign object.




al

Sander safety scale

The sander safety scale lets workers verify that the openings between the belt and disc and the tables on sanders are 1/8-inch or less.




al

FMCSA to medical examiners: Submit driver exams conducted when registry was offline

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has set a deadline of Sept. 30 for certified medical examiners to submit the results of physical qualification exams of commercial truck and bus drivers that were completed while the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners was offline from Dec. 1, 2017, through Aug. 13, 2018.




al

FMCSA gives states 60 days to downgrade licenses of CMV drivers with drug, alcohol violations

Washington — State driver’s licensing agencies will have 60 days to initiate mandatory downgrades of commercial driver’s licenses and commercial learner’s permits once notified that a commercial motor vehicle operator has failed a drug or alcohol test, under a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration final rule set to go into effect Nov. 8.




al

FMCSA final rule expands area where safety tech can be mounted on truck, bus windshields

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is increasing the area safety technology may be mounted inside commercial motor vehicles and expanding the definition of “vehicle safety technology.”




al

FMCSA renews proposal for speed limiters on large trucks and buses

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving forward with – and seeking comment on – a proposed rule that would require the installation of speed-limiting devices on trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds.




al

FMCSA extends comment period on speed-limiter proposal

Washington — Responding to stakeholder requests, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended until July 18 the comment period on a proposed rule that would require the installation of speed-limiting devices on trucks, buses and multipurpose passenger vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds.




al

Bill would halt FMCSA’s movement on speed limiters

Washington — Legislation recently introduced in the House would prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from requiring speed-limiting devices on large trucks and buses.




al

Windproof balaclava

The 6823RT Realtree Wind-Proof Hinged Balaclava is designed to retain heat from the heads and necks of workers.




al

Balaclava

The N-Ferno 6847 FR Balaclava Face Mask meets two flame-resistant standards: NFPA 70E and NFPA 2112.




al

Torsional stability in work boots

When is torsional stability in a work boot most important?




al

Seasonal safety footwear

What should a safety manager look for in seasonal safety footwear?




al

Report examines work-related asthma in California

Sacramento, CA – Almost 1 million people in California have work-related asthma, according to a new surveillance report from the California Department of Public Health.




al

White paper warns of chemical exposure from building materials

Falls Church, VA – Workers may be exposed to a group of synthetic chemicals used in building materials without realizing it, according to a new white paper from the American Industrial Hygiene Association.




al

Industrial hygienist salaries have increased, AIHA survey shows

Falls Church, VA – The average salary for industrial hygienists has increased more than $10,000 in the past five years, according to survey results released May 30 by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.




al

Mostly virtual

Pandemic-prompted shutdowns have forced a pivot in the way construction safety training is delivered




al

Improve indoor air quality

Workers exposed to poor indoor air quality may experience headaches, shortness of breath, coughing or nausea.